Survey results published Tuesday show that over half of China's urban residents feel they are under "high economic pressure."

A total of 51.3 percent of urban residents surveyed said they feel great economic pressure, according to a survey included in the Blue Book of China's Society issued by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The blue book says the widely felt economic pressure is closely related to consumer confidence and people's limited tolerance for price fluctuations.

The blue book found that the cost of housing is urban residents' top economic burden, followed by living expenses and children's education.

According to the blue book, increases in people's incomes have lagged behind the country's economic growth rate, and a smaller proportion of workers' wages in the gross domestic product (GDP) also undermines people's consumption capabilities.

China's per capita GDP rose by an annual average of 8.8 percent between 1979 and 2011, but the incomes of urban and rural residents increased only 7.4 percent annually, according to the blue book.

Moreover, the proportion of laborers' wages in the GDP fell from 50.7 percent in 2004 to 44.9 percent last year.

These facts have resulted in a declining consumption rate, it said.

According to the blue book, commodities prices, housing prices and medical care are the greatest concerns of those living in cities, and urbanites are also paying more attention to issues such as the wealth gap, social stability, territorial disputes between China and neighboring countries and social ethics and morality in the country.

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